Significance of Relationships

I have a friend I am extremely close to. Our relationship spans more than a decade. Strangely, serious differences developed with him. Not that I had never argued with him before. As with all close ties, we too had had our fair share of conflicts and heated debates. But our bonds of Friendship had always held firm, surviving everything. Our estrangement never lasted beyond a few days; in fact, we always came back closer after every estrangement, feeling more for the other not less. The argument I had with him was the worst ever. Close friendship, as much as it comforts and pleases, also makes one vulnerable. We hurt each other in those areas where we knew the other was most sensitive. For the first time in twelve years I found the very foundation of the relationship wobbly. I doubted in all earnestness whether he was my well- wisher at all; he too thought that perhaps the friendship had run its course and it was time to bid adieu. We switched off.
Then I read true stories of people who had lost a love, allowed a relationship to go sour, all over silly ego issues, misunderunstandings that a lack of communication and priorities made appear worse than they were. I also read about mistakes which cost one dearly and the feeling of guilt and remorse that never quite left. I read about understanding and self realisation, about courage and heroism, generosity and kindness – at times from complete strangers – and about forgiveness and its healing power both for the forgiven as well as the forgiving. I understood that life truly is what we make of it! Most importantly, I learnt that in the end it is not about how much money one makes, how much fame one achieves, how much beautiful or handsome one is – it is about how much love one can give and receive; it is about the kind of relationship one has with oneself and others....I understood how big life is and how small I had become in my vision of life, of others even of myself.